Railroad-tie.



PATENTBD MAR. 3, 1903.

Z. G. ROBBINS.

RAILROAD TIE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 1902.

to MODEL.

Mmsssas IN VENTO'I? UNI-TED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

ZENAS o. ROBBINS, or WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

RAILROAD-TIE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 721,745, dated March 3, 1903. Application filed November 6 1902. Serial No. 130,311. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ZENAS O. ROBBINS, a

' citizen of the United States, residing at Wash- Figure 1 is a top view of a shortsection of' a, railroad that is supplied with my improved ties; Fig. 2, a top view of one of my railroad-' ties, shown partly in section; and Fig. 3 is a top view of a doubly-perforated metallic tieplate d, that forms a portion of the metallic fixtures employed by me in uniting there spective portions 12 b of my improved railroad-- tie with each other, as shown in the draw- Ings.

The following is a full description of my improved railroad-tie and the advantages pos sessed by it over all other railroad-ties.

The railroad-ties now in general use are composed of one hewed or sawed piece of wood of the requisite proportions. In use when a defect appears in eitherof the ends of one of those railroad-ties thewhole tie must be removed and its vacant place be filled by a sound railroad-tie, whereas by making a rail-tie of two sections united with each other in my improved manner either one of those sections can be easily removed whenever it may show signs of decay without disturbing its companion tie-section, thereby saving labor and enabling a half-length tie-section to do the work of a whole-length railroad-tie, as must be readily apparent, and, again, when railroad-ties are purchased in half-sections instead of full-length ties the cost of two half tie-sections will be considerably less than the cost of a full-length railroad-tie.

The right-angular inner ends of two sections 19 b of my improved railroad-tie are securely united with each other in the manner represented inthe accompanying drawingsviz., the vertical front and rear sides of the inner end of each tie-section must be given substantially the shape represented by Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings, and when those ends are brought together the two Inetallic tie-plates d d are fitted in the places prepared for them on the sides of the inner ends of said tie-sections preparatory to the insertion of the screw-bolts c c, as represented in Fig. 2. Then the nuts 6 e are placed on the screw-cut ends of said bolts and are so tightly screwed upon the tie-plate d as to hold said tie-sections in a rigidly firm and straight position with each other. It will therefore be perceived that whenever it may become necessary to remove either of those tie-sections it canbe easily accomplished and without disturbing its companion tie-section by unscrewingits screw-nut e and removing its screw-bolt c and then withdrawing one of the spikes'that help to secure one of the rails to that tie-section. When all that has been accomplished, that tie-section can be easily withdrawn and a sound tie-section be as easily inserted and secured in its place, and all that can be accomplished with either of the tie-sections without disturbing its companion tiesection, and thereby enabling a half tie-section to perform all that can be obtained from a full-length railroad-tie.

It must be apparent to any one familiar with the subject that the labor expended in removing one of the sections of my improved railroad-tie and inserting another tie-section in its place will be less than half that required for removing an entire railroadtie and inserting another railroad-tie in its place.

The metallic tie-plates d 01 must be of sufficientthickness not only to securelytie two of the railroad-tie sections together, but they must also add to their rigidity when they are so united. It is my intention to give such proportions to the tie-plates (1 cl, the screw bolts 0 c, and their nuts 6 e that they can be safely continued in use for many years.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

An improved railroad-tie composed of two sections 1), b, the vertical sides of whose inner ends are recessed for the reception of the perforated tie-plates d, d, that receive the hori- -zontal screw-bolts c, c, and enable the screwnuts e, e, to rigidly connect the said tie-sections with each other, all substantially as herein represented and described.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence-of two witnesses. Y

ZENAS O. ROBBINS.

Witnesses:

' CHESTER HOWE,

GEORGE M. Bonn. 

